Global Spectrum Officials Provide Updates on KCAC Arena Management

Indiana University of Pennsylvania hosted members of the Global Spectrum leadership team Monday, September 28, 2009, for a briefing about Global Spectrum’s management of the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex’s Ed Fry Arena.

Doug Higgons, regional vice president, provided information about the company, which manages more than eighty arenas, stadiums, convention centers, and theaters, including eleven university convocation centers and arenas.

Higgons said that it will take about fifteen months for Global Spectrum to announce the first bookings for the event, but the company is actively soliciting some national tours to appear at IUP.

Currently, Global Spectrum officials are working with IUP to develop a booking and scheduling policy.

Remarks were also offered by Indiana County Commissioner Rod Ruddock and Dr. Tony Atwater, IUP president.

In July, IUP selected Global Spectrum, a subsidiary of Comcast-Spectacor, to manage, market, and operate the Ed Fry Arena in the KCAC.

Global Spectrum will handle all pre-opening phases of managing the arena. This includes working and consulting on the final stages of facility design and construction; preparing marketing programs and marketing the arena; recruiting and hiring a general manager and all staff for the arena; assisting in the procurement of furniture, fixtures, and equipment; booking the arena; and consulting on the selection of subcontractors and analyzing all operational details.

Global Spectrum will also work with IUP to establish and implement financial and accounting programs and procedures and prepare the arena for its opening. The Global Spectrum staff will handle, upon opening, the day-to-day management of the arena, including booking, scheduling, marketing, maintenance, contracted services, staffing, and other operations.

In addition to serving the needs of men’s and women’s basketball, the new arena will be the site of concerts, family shows, special events, and other attractions for the surrounding community.

The arena was named for Fry, a retired faculty member in the Department of Music and longtime IUP track and field coach, following a $1-million gift from Chad Hurley, a 1999 IUP graduate, in honor of his former coach. Hurley is cofounder of video sharing website YouTube.

Global Spectrum was chosen following a national search by a committee of university and community members.

University officials broke ground in November 2008 for the KCAC, a $53.4-million facility along Wayne Avenue adjacent to the university. The KCAC, named in honor of the Kovalchick family, of Indiana, will also include the 650-seat Christine Toretti auditorium, a conference center, grand lobby, commercial kitchen, and offices for IUP athletics.

Construction for the KCAC began in March and will be completed in June 2011.

Currently, seven major conferences have been tentatively scheduled for the first year of operation of the KCAC. They include a state convention, state youth athletic tournament, and other university and community related events through IUP’s Office of Conference Services.